So hard to know the future...

In my last post I said change was here... I didn't quite realize how much. That same day, about an hour after posting, Anne and Parviz told me the real plans - that they are heading to the States! So, I thought, I'm a bit more alone than I thought - but again I was wrong. Don Jesus and his family have been staying at the house with me and I am more surrounded by family than ever. Although I miss Laura and Linda, I have had just about the best week ever. I love them so much. Da. Delsa is such an amazing woman and the kids are all so great.

One thing we've done together is watch a bunch of National Geographic documentaries (Adrian especially loves to see 'videos') - there are a few all-time favorites, namely the Leopard and Wild Boar one, and the one about the Okanawa place in Africa with it's hippos, crocodiles, cheetahs, flood, forest fires, lions, and the last favorite is the one about horses in Ireland, oh, and about King Cobras in India.

They have also brought their TV down and one night we stayed up late to watch the soccer game between Costa Rica and the US. I decided to be the odd man out and cheer for the States - what a mistake. My team was, unfortunately, horrific. Maybe it was the small screen or the bad reception but my goodness, I don't think I saw a single good play from my team. Jairo and Archimedes have not let me forget it. One morning I just talked with Veronica. It was precious. Veronica is an amazing girl - she's about 12 or 13 years old and it is so great to watch her. She is such an adult and yet such a school girl, too. She cooks, cleans, and watches Lisbeth (her 2 year old niece) like the completely capable person she is - and then giggles like a girl her age. We talked about english (I am teaching her class in the school - she was telling me how the boys in her class tease her because they know I'm close with her family and therefore she should know english - and she has to assure them that she really doesn't know any more of the answers than they do), we talked about the tv shows she likes (dad, you might like this - they watch Xena on the weekends), she asked me why I don't use oil in my hair (they all do), and what I wear when I'm not in Progresso.. will I wear my Guaymi dress when I go home? and I said yes, of course, but only on special occasions. I love Veronica.

And Ania's laugh. Ania has such a good laugh. And Jairo teasing everyone all the time. And little Lisbeth who, cutely though obsessivly, is attatched to me - "Aliiichon! hale hadengo!" (let's play!) or "Hagwe!" and "Venga" (come here!) and "migit" (something like, 'do it' or 'copy me'). And when she doesn't understand me or when I don't respond soon enough she goes "eeh?" but loud!

Oh, and another reason I love these people: how they all came to my rescue when a huge snake decided to join me in my bathroom one night. That was an experience. It really was a big snake - like 3 or 4 feet long ... you think I'm exagerating, I assure you I'm not. I was just finishing up my shower and it was starting to get dark (luckily I had had the forsight to turn on the light before I went in - you see the switch is in the other room) I had just turned off the water and turned around again when I saw this tiny head peaking up over the wall on the opposite side of the room. It gave me a small fright and I was saying to myself - oh, I really hope that is really just a small lizard and not a snake. I planned to sort of keep an eye on it as I dried off and started to get dressed, but as I turned I noticed a little movement farther down.. inside the room...
(neadless to say, though not a good thing, I rather lost track of the unidentified little head). There is a hose hanging on the wall there and I had to do a double take as I saw a very large snake sliding down that hose. It was so large that at first I thought, no, that's just the hose... it wasn't. It was a snake about as thick as that hose but definitly darker and definitely entering my bathroom... and me without any clothing on and not wanting to cry out. Because of the insufficient light I couldn't really tell but I think it wasn't a terciopelo.. but there just wasn't enough light to be sure and good grief, let me tell you, I was shaking. At times terciopelos actually will attack rather than run away - and we are in an enclosed space together with no easy escape route (oh, how I cursed myself for having actually shut the door all the way). And even if it wasn't a terciopelo it was still a mighty big snake and I had nothing to fend it away with. Anyways, it got to the ground and slid to my left - towards the door, blocking my only escape. As it got a bit out of sight I got dressed as quickly as possible while still watching to see if it was coming out. When I was dressed and couldn't see it anymore I, as far away as possible, inched around that corner to see what was going on - I was hoping against hope that it had squeezed through a small hole in the corner there... I searched the floor and didn't see it - could it be true? had it just gone? Um, no, it had started climbing the wall behind the toilet and that was the first time I realized just how long the thing was. I don't know if I startled it or it simply didn't have enough grip to make it up but as I stood there watching (in horror, might I add) it fell on top of the toilet and I squealed and jumped back running back to a spot as far away as possible, and I believe I started to wimper just a little bit. I watched it as it calmly (thank God it was nonplussed!) slithered out, along the wall it had entered and as it went to my right I inched to my left and when it started turning the corner.. though it's tail was still quite close to the door, and had it wanted to strike I'm sure it could have reached me, I decided to run out of the bathroom, banking on the fact that it wouldn't actually want to attack me.

Well, I was away, safe and sound and went down and calmly told the Karolina that there is a snake in my bathroom. She called out to her father - and everyone heard and literally everyone there came to help - which might sound normal, but I flatter myself, it was because it happened to me. I have seen countless times when people report snakes - and they report snakes they are sure are dangerous, I had said that I don't think it was - but normally they don't flinch, literally. The day before Adrian had reported to Da. Delsa that he saw a terciopelo on his way to the house and of course she was on the case right away but Jairo and Veronica sitting there next to us didn't even turn their heads. But for me they all came, Jairo with a machete, Da. Delsa and Jesus with a long stick. Karolina and Adrian standing by me to see what happens. They didn't find it in the bathroom and quickly searched nearby but didn't see it; so, my snake is still at large. If I had said it was a terciopelo they would have hunted for it but because I thought it wasn't they didn't bother.. after all it was getting dark and that's a dangerous time to go looking for snakes.

Mostly though, what I have loved is simply watching them as a family. They have the same slight squables as every other family in the world - even an extremely different language doesn't hide that fact - but they all laugh together too. You laugh, and do homework, and laugh, and do chores, and come back from playing soccer, and watch tv and laugh, and eat, and laugh. It's been great.

But now, for the reason I'm here in San Jose once again: I'm here to welcome this year's group of youth who have come for service - they will spend 3 days in San Jose working on the Institute here and then three days in Progresso fixing up the Baha'i Center there. I came up yesterday, called some friends and as always they are the epitomy of hospitality and it's always a pleasure to see them again. After about 15 hours or more of traveling (this includes the usual: 2 hour walk down the mountain, 1 1/2 bus ride to catch my bus 8 hour bus ride to San Jose, a short taxi ride to catch a 2 hour bus ride (during rush hour traffic) to Heredia where they live) and for the first time I was doing it all alone... poor me (and speaking of poor me, without my iPod for I had left it here last time - but now we are reunited and all is good). But then I saw my friends and the world is right again just in time for me to have a good night's sleep. Today I've been making calls making sure the bus driver is on call and everything's all set. I still need to do some grocery shopping to feed these people tomorrow but then I'll head to the airport to meet them coming in. And hopefully from there Lynda will basically be in charge and I'll only have to be there if I'm needed... let's hope!

I can't wait to see Casey and Alex and Greg!

By they way, I've heard from Laura and Linda and I'm happy to say that they are both happy to be where they are catching up with friends and family.